Where To Stay In Yosemite National Park

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Yosemite National Park is one of the American classics when it comes to the great outdoors. Visit the iconic rock face at El Portal, the iconic Bridalveil Fall, giant sequoias, and dramatic rock faces of El Capitan and Half Dome, Yosemite is a must-see destination if you’re spending time in Northern California.

Nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, this National Park is not near any large city, so accommodation options are somewhat limited. It is also really only fully accessible across the summer months of the year, from June through to October, so visitors are packed into a short window before the park closes down for winter. That being said, these four resorts are great options for where to stay in Yosemite National Park whether you’re staying for one night or a week or more.

Best places to stay in Yosemite National Park

Key Takeaways from Visiting Yosemite

Yosemite lodging options are limited so you need to be smart with your reservations to fit within your budget.
Discover the best campgrounds within the park to sleep under the stars.
Find a secluded European style hotel nestled away from the main traffic of the park.
Learn where to stay just outside the gates of the parks for best access.

TOP TIPS FOR TRAVELLING TO YOSEMITE

Hotels – For the best prices on accommodations in Yosemite and the most choices, we prefer to use Booking.com for all of our stays. You can search a variety of hotels, vacation rentals and even some campsites. Alternatively, you can always see if hotel corporate codes might work for you.
Car rentals – The best way to access the park is by car, so if you need a rental car always start your search with Discover Cars and RentalCars to find the best deals. Save the most money through car rental coupon codes while you’re at it!
Flights – If you dread seeing those flight prices, try out the Skyscanner “Everywhere” feature and find the best deals. Check how much it would be for you to get to California.
Insurance – Something that many travelers overlook but it SO important, cover you and your family for all of your travels with the best travel insurance.
Hottest deals – Be sure to bookmark our frequently updated travel deals page for all your travel needs.
Insurance – Make sure you’re covered and learn more about where to buy the best travel insurance.

If you’re planning a vacation to this world-famous park, here are a few places you’ll want to book ASAP because rooms either don’t last very long or the prices shoot up really quickly.

The Majestic Yosemite Hotel

Image via Flickr by bryce_edwards

If you’re looking to live in luxury, The Majestic Yosemite Hotel (formerly The Ahwahnee) is the place to stay. There are few hotel choices in the park, and to have one where it is, loaded with upscale amenities, restaurants, and services, makes this property quite the treat to stay in.

Set in front of the majestic Yosemite Valley, the charm of its wood and stone architecture is undeniable. Step inside and be treated to a rustic retreat fit for past Presidents and Queens. The price is steep, as you would imagine, but you certainly get what you pay for.

Yosemite Valley Lodge

The alternative to The Ahwahnee, if you’re looking to take a less of a hit on your wallet, is Yosemite Valley Lodge. What I like about this property is that it still puts you in the park itself, which makes exploration a cinch because you don’t have to spend time commuting in and out of the grounds. It is also right across from Yosemite falls with the Merced River flowing right behind the property. It is also a great location to access Glacier Point, making for the perfect spot to base yourself to explore the trails in the park.

The lodge offers surprisingly cosy, spacious, and comfortable rooms that also come with sweeping views of Yosemite Valley. There is also incredible views from the dining room. Due to the popularity of Yosemite Valley Lodge, make sure you book ahead of time especially during high season.

Half Dome Village

For those that are looking for that deeper connection with nature, Half Dome Village (formerly Curry Village) provides a selection of lodging options with the unique experience of being able to stay in either a basic hotel-type room, rustic cabins, or heated/unheated tent-cabins. The lodging choices also extends to the plethora of dining options that include a pizza deck, curry pavilion, meadow grill, curry bar, and coffee corner.

This is an attractive accommodation option because you get to experience the camping way of life here in the wilderness and get to do it at a fraction of the cost of a full-service hotel.

Big Trees Lodge

All of the above properties are located in the central part of Yosemite National Park, which is known as Yosemite Valley. If you’re looking to be in an area that is a bit more secluded and away from the high traffic of cars that go through the area, Big Trees Lodge (formerly Wawona Hotel) is somewhere you’ll want to consider.

Situated right by the Mariposa Grove Museum, the Mariposa grove of giant sequoias, and the Wawona Golf Course, you’ll love the quaint European style of this hotel and the period pieces that will make it feel like you’re walking through a museum. It’s worth nothing that only 50 rooms have private bathrooms, while the rest use shared bathroom facilities.

The prices at Big Trees Lodge are quite reasonable and as a bonus, even includes free breakfast.

Looking for more accommodation options in Yosemite?

If you’re interested in more alternative accommodations in Yosemite that are just slightly outside of the National Park entrance itself? There are actually a lot of holiday homes and cottages that are available to book right by the gate. Here’s a few that you should check out.

HOLIDAY HOME

SERENITY PINES

This is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath full 2-level home that is a luxury-style cottage that has a fully equipped kitchen, living room with fireplace, tons of open space, comfortable rooms, beautiful deck, and gas grill. This sleeps 8 and is perfect for larger groups.

Vrbo

Booking.com

LUXURY

YOSEMITE LARGE LOFT CONDOMINIUMS

These condos is 30 minutes drive away from Yosemite Village and 15 minutes from Badger Pass Ski Area. These are reasonably priced and has everything that you need – balcony, fireplace, TV, en-suite bathroom, kitchen and bbq facilities.

Agoda

Booking.com

What To Pack For Yosemite

When in Yosemite National Park there will be lots of hiking. These are a few essentials we recommend you pack that are a must!

Merrell Moab 3 Hiking Shoes – Super comfy and durable but make sure you break these in ahead of time. You don’t want new shoes blisters while hiking around the park! These Women’s Merrell Siren Edge 3 hiking shoes are also excellent and they are waterproof!
Buff – We literally don’t go anywhere without ours. Super versatile and handy! You can read our full review on just how handy this buff is.
Backpack – The Shimoda Action X50 V2 is great for all your photography gear, it keeps everything safe and dry and easy to access for those perfect shots.
Hiking poles – You might not think you will need them but once you realise how helpful they are you won’t be without them. They are especially nice to have for difficult trails.
Bug Spray – Yes, there are bugs here. Yes, they bite! Be prepared and spray yourself well!

Are you planning a trip to Yosemite National Park, looking for a place to stay, and have questions about other properties not mentioned here? Drop a comment below and we’ll get to you ASAP.

What part of Yosemite is the best place to stay?

Depending on what you want from your trip to Yosemite, there are a few places that are great to stay. Yosemite West is great for families as there are a lot of condos and cabins available, perfect for larger groups. Yosemite’s south entrance, near fish camp is great as it is near Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. For camping options look at the high sierra camps.

How many days should I stay at Yosemite?

Yosemite is great to visit for a few days, a week or even longer! There is plenty of stunning scenery, trails and outdoor activities to enjoy so you will never run out of things to do. Especially if you book a hotel with a spa or hot tubs, where you can treat yourself to a little pamper after long days hiking.

What is a good month to go to Yosemite?

The majority of the park is only open June to October but there are areas you can access from April before the main crowds start.

What is the most popular part of Yosemite?

Big Oak Flat Entrance is the most popular entrance to the park and is heavily travelled, for the most dramatic entrance arrive along the Tioga Road into Tioga Pass. From here you can access hotels such as the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and the White Wolf Lodge.

Travel Resources For Your Next Trip

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.

Credit cards: Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card. Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.

Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature. Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.

Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.

park sleep fly airport parking discount code

Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.

Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.

eSIM: Lately, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. We’ve tested several over the years and we have access to a few special promotions.

AloSIM – Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 15%
KnowRoaming – Use code GAP10 to save 10%.
Airalo – Use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase.
Ubigi – AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.

Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.

Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).

Tours: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

HeyMondo – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks.
RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.

If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

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